Reviews with content warning for Death - The Burning Girls

The sleepy English village of Chapel Croft has a darkness that clings to it like fog. Newcomer Reverend Jack Brooks, a woman with a past and a teenage daughter, Flo, soon discovers this isn't your average parish. Whispers of unsolved disappearances from decades ago linger, and a disturbing local legend about "burning girls" adds a layer of unease. When it is revealed that the previous vicar died under suspicious circumstances, Jack, with Flo by her side (much to Flo's initial annoyance), gets swept into the investigation. The deeper they dig, the more they unearth a community riddled with secrets, a tangled web of suspicion, and a past that refuses to stay buried.

Tudor weaves a suspenseful tale that will keep you guessing. The atmosphere in Chapel Croft is thick with tension, and the characters, though flawed, feel real. Jack is a protagonist you can't help but root for. Flo, the quintessential teenager trying to fit in while dealing with her mom's baggage, provides a relatable counterpoint. The mystery unfolds at a steady pace, with enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat.

However, The Burning Girls isn't without its flaws. The exploration of the supernatural elements feels underdeveloped, leaving some threads dangling. Similarly, a couple of character motivations could have been better fleshed out. Even the ending, while satisfying and with a touch of corniness, might not be the mind-blowing twist some crave.

Despite these minor quibbles, The Burning Girls is a page-turner. If you're looking for a suspenseful mystery steeped in small-town weirdness, prepare to be glued to the story until the very satisfying, if somewhat predictable, conclusion.

Content Warnings

stellenelcielo's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

ngl I started reading this in 2021 and then stopped halfway because life decided to get traumatizing for no reason...but yeah, decided only to finish it because I picked up another book by this author about vampires in Alaska, that I found out in the wild (walmart) and felt I needed to finish this one first.

I did enjoy finishing it, but felt a lot was going on. I vibed with it anyway, and my only real (minor) criticism is that

Rosie also being a psychopath felt like it came out of left field

, and it was a real missed opportunity to

make Wrigley the sole psychopath, mirroring the online alt-right, misogynistic and incel culture that seems to nurture sociopathy in teenage boys.

I was not prepared for that final reveal, but I mostly chalk that up to taking more than a year to finish the book so my memory of the finer details is a bit fuzzy. Anyway, yeah, was a solid entertaining read, and I look forward to 'The Gathering', which has been waiting on my shelf for the last week.

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joslynhebda's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

Content Warnings

rachelfayreads's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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sare1125's review against another edition

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dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

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clarkg's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

While the story itself is compelling and well-written, this book has some serious problems with regards to its representations of Black, disabled, and queer people. There is a particularly gruesome depiction of Black, queer, low-income women that leans heavily on violent "welfare queen" stereotypes, made worse by the fact that the book has no positive examples of people of color in its main cast of characters. Additionally, this book contains a disability trope/storyline that I found to be in extremely poor taste. I believe in giving people grace and room to grow, but at least within the confines of this story, I wish that the author had been more mindful of how her choices work to reinforce harmful societal narratives about marginalized communities.

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